More Top Stories
Cook Islands passport proposal
6 January 2025
Top cop position advertised
7 December 2024
Police need numbers and bigger budget
9 December 2024
Niki Rattle: A call for stronger human rights protections
10 December 2024
Solid and Hazardous Waste Bill referred to Parliament committee
10 December 2024
DPM defends CIIC finance and travel policies
6 December 2024
Cook Islands has its first mosque
14 November 2024
CI Muslim opens up about her faith and journey
16 November 2024
RAC to address mosque legality
19 November 2024
I don’t expect much change: PM Brown on US Elections
6 November 2024
Fifth weekly Sydney flight to Rarotonga announced
23 October 2024
CIIC directors seek $350,000 in damages over defamatory claims
21 October 2024
Man found guilty of rape, burglary
24 September 2024
Tenants face water bill burden
8 October 2024
Concerns over Minister’s role in inmate work releases: PAC
5 October 2024
Tourism contribution set to surpass half-billion dollar mark
25 September 2024
Parliament Clerk sparks outrage over deep sea mining statement
23 September 2024
Deep sea dilemma: Cook Islanders weigh the cost of mineral riches
21 September 2024
Anxiety on the rise: Cook Islands faces mental health challenge
7 September 2024
Cook Islands deep sea mining poll sparks controversy
7 September 2024
MCI rejects ‘dark fleet’ label
3 August 2024
Rising seas, rising costs: Climate impacts on Cook Islands economy
2 September 2024
Inflation eases but concerns remain
31 August 2024
Prime Minister defends $659,000 MPs travel bill
23 August 2024
Taxpayers foot $659,000 bill for MPs travel and allowance
22 August 2024
Corruption report exposes ‘bribe and sexual favours’
17 January 2023
PM Brown eager to hand over Forum chair role to Tonga
13 August 2024
Challenging ‘rape culture’
8 July 2024
Pacific
Cook Islands National Council of Women welcomes NZ High Commissioner
The Cook Islands National Council of Women (CINCW) welcomed New Zealand’s new high commissioner to the Cook Islands, Catherine Graham, at their office in Takuvaine yesterday.
PM Brown confident in Pacific Islands Forum leadership despite political change in Tonga
The sudden resignation of Tonga’s former prime minister Hu’akavameiliku Siaosi Sovaleni had left a temporary gap in the leadership of the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF), but Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown remains confident that the situation will soon stabilise.
Tonga's Zika cases increase
NUKU‘ALOFA – Tonga’s Zika surveillance unit has recorded 549 Zika cases up to Monday – including seven cases that were confirmed by laboratory blood tests, said Chief Medical Officer for Public Health, Dr Reynold ‘Ofanoa.
Vanuatu government taking shape
PORT VILA – The shape of Vanuatu’s next Government is about to emerge with the new parliament sitting for the first time.
Fiji PM ignores flag change resistance
SUVA – The Fiji prime minister Frank Bainimarama wants a new flag by July this year and it seems he’ll get it.
Arms shipment secrecy questioned
SUVA – The Fiji government’s been lambasted in parliament for secrecy surrounding the arrival of military equipment from Russia.
Floods and fights stop air services
TARI – Flights have resumed to two Papua New Guinea provincial capitals, Tari and Popondetta, following suspension of flights last week. Tari, the capital of hela province in the Highlands, had its flights suspended last week due to tribal fighting.
Russian experts in Fiji for weapons handover
SUVA – Twenty Russian soldiers have arrived in Fiji to help with the transfer of a large consignment of Russian weapons for the Fiji military.
Volunteer DJ sacked by administration
KINGSTON – A volunteer announcer for Norfolk Island’s public radio station says he was sacked for telling the people the Australian administration has plans to stop funding the station.
MPS blocked from parliament
suva – Members of a Fijian Opposition party have been blocked from taking their seats on the first day of parliament for allegedly using the wrong type of accountant. The National Federation Party had its registration suspended because the accountant it used to audit its annual accounts wasn’t certified by the Fiji Institute of Accountants. The Speaker of Fiji’s Parliament, Dr Jiko Luveni, said the suspension meant the party’s three MPs were not allowed to take their seats, and the parliament voted to support that suspension. Dr Luveni took the decision to block the MPs from the house on advice from the solicitor general after election authorities suspended the party over its audit. National Federation Party lawyer Richard Naidu said he was surprised the parliament voted on the decision. “I didn’t see that coming, and I’m not quite sure what the point of that is,” he said. “But that would tend to support the whole notion that it’s the Fiji First Party majority that decides everything in Fiji, rather than the law.” Fiji First, led by former coup-leader turned Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama, won 32 seats of the 50 seat parliament in 2014 elections. Bill Gavoka, an MP with the Opposition Sodelpa party, said members of his party attended the first session with black armbands, protesting “the death of democracy” under Fiji First. “It’s the tyranny of the majority, they have the numbers and they just ride roughshod over everything else in this country,” he said. “It’s treating a grand old party in a very callous way and it’s not the way Fiji needs to run its business. “After eight or nine years of dictatorship, it’s a time for healing. But not with this government, they go for the jugular,” Gavoka said. Australian Greens Senator Janet Rice said she would raise the suspension with Foreign Minister Julie Bishop. Senator Rice said Fiji appeared to be moving from a military dictatorship to a parliamentary dictatorship. “I think it needs to concern Australia,” she said. “Fiji and Australia are very close and they are a big recipient of our foreign aid, so Australia needs to be concerned about what is going on. And in fact the rest of the Pacific needs to be concerned as well.” Sodelpa has called on the speaker to get an independent legal opinion. Opposition leader Ro Teimumu Kepa said the parliament had again been hijacked. “And you’ll see I’m wearing a black ribbon today, because democracy if it’s not already dead, it is dying.” - ABC/RNZI
Controversial drug given to detainees
LORENGAU – The Australian Immigration Department is moving to offer asylum seekers on Manus Island alternatives to a controversial anti-malarial drug known to cause or exacerbate mental health issues in some patients.
Fishing agency preparing to renegotiate with US
NADI – Forum Fisheries Agency member states are meeting in Fiji this week to discuss solutions to America’s shock withdrawal from the Pacific Islands Fisheries Treaty.
Aqorau sees 'opportunities' in treaty collapse
NADI – As Pacific fisheries officials gather in Nadi, Fiji from Monday for a three-day meeting focused on the future of the tuna treaty with the United States, the head of a powerful island fisheries bloc says the US treaty is a “distraction” taking valuable time away from managing the fishing industry.
Some asylum seekers have terminal illnesses
SYDNEY – Some of the 267 asylum seekers Australia wants to deport to an offshore immigration center following a court ruling are suffering from cancer and other terminal illnesses, a senior Australia government official has revealed.
ABC apologises for story inaccuracies
SYDNEY – The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) has issued a correction over claims an asylum seeker child was sexually assaulted, as a paediatrician who raised the alarm says she provided “factually accurate” information.
Government known on Thursday
PORT VILA – Lobbying in Vanuatu continues to intensify ahead of this Thursday’s parliament sitting which will see the establishment of a new government with the election of a prime minister and speaker.
New Samoa airline flying by April
apia – A new airline based in Samoa’s capital, Talofa Airways, is expected to begin operating by April.
Samoa takes proactive Zika action
APIA – Various government ministries and NGOs are combining their resources to clear mosquito breeding sites around the country in a persistent effort to stamp out any possible zika virus carrying mosquitoes.
Not 'broke and dysfunctional'
NUKU‘ALOFA – The Tonga Amateur Sports Association and National Olympic Committee says claims the organisation is broke and dysfunctional are “all a misunderstanding”.
US Pacific aid cuts suggested
WASHINGTON – A US congressman in California has called for a ban on some American aid to those Pacific countries that are parties to the South Pacific Tuna Treaty.
Sports body bankruptcy denied
NUKU‘ALOFA – The Tonga Amateur Sports Association and National Olympic Committee is bankrupt, according to the country’s Prime Minister, ‘Akilisi Pohiva – a claim rejected by the sports administration body.
Traditional obligations stop climate relocation
SUVA – Their traditional obligations to the Tui Cakau will not allow the people of Vunisavisavi Village in Cakaudrove, Fiji, to relocate despite the impact of climate change.
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